Package carrier



July 1,1930. I0, COOPER ET AL I PACKAGE CARRIER fl/va 1NVENTOR5.

04/1/4- Caa zz ATTORNEY Filed June 25, 1928' Patented July 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE CARRIERv Application filed June 25, 1928. Serial No. 288,205.

The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates to package and article carriers, and partciularly to package carriers of the folding vehicle type.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a fold-able package carrier adapted to be moved on wheels, thereby obviating the carrying in hand of shopping bags or like receptacles.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a receptacle of convenient size which is secured upon a carriage frame and is foldable therewith, the carriage frame being adapted to be moved on wheels, both in its folded and in its unfolded position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a foldable package carrier formed by a frame and a bag thereon; the frame being provided with wheels upon which it is rolled, both in its folded and unfolded position; said frame having means thereon to maintain the same in unfolded position, the bag being so secured to the folding frame that the bottom thereof is drawn upwardly by the folding of the frame and said bottom may be moved into its lowermost position relative to the bag opening when the frame is unfolded.

'While we show and describe a preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that changes as to the form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the in vention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the package carrier showing the same in an unfolded position;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the carrier in the unfolded position;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the carrier showing the same folded; 1

Figure dis a fragmentary sectional view showing the pivotal connection of the members of the carrier frame and the manner in which the bag is attached to the frame; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of a pivotal connection of the frame members.

In carrying out our invention, we make use of diagonal bars 6 and 7, pivoted together in the middle, a set of the bars being disposed at each side of the carrier forming the side members of the carrier frame. The top ends of the bars 6 are connected to each other by means of a cross bar 8, which latter is threaded at both ends thereof. A nut 9 is disposed on each side of the bars 6; thus four nuts are threaded on the cross bar 8, each pair of nuts maintaining a bar 6 in position. The spacing between the nuts 9 is such that the bars 6 are rotata ble between the nuts 9 on the ends of the cross 8.

The upper extremities of the bars 7 are similarly connected to each other by means of a cross bar 11 and nuts 9. A washer 12 is positioned between the bars 6 and 7 around the middle pivotal connection thereof for the purpose of spacing the bars 6 and 7 from each other, thus allowing the free pivotal movement thereof. At a point slightly above the lower extremities thereof, the opposite bars are fixedly spaced from each other by means of spacing bars 13. Above the spacing bars are brackets 14, one being fixedly secured to each bar 6 and 7. The oppositely positioned brackets are in alignment with each other and are provided with elongated slots 16, in which are slidable lower cross bars 17 which are held against transverse movement by nuts 18;

The lower portions of the bars 6 are longer than those of the bars 7, so that when the ends of the bars 6 rest on the ground, the ends of the bars 7 are spaced from the ground thereby. In the lower extremities of the bars 7 is fixedly secured an axle 19, upon the opposite ends of which are rotatably mounted wheels 21, which latter are provided preferably with hard rubber tires 22. Now, when the frame is unfolded, as shown in Figure 1, it rests upon the wheels 21 and upon the lower extremities of the bars 6, thereby being supported on the groundin a firmly balanced position. A handle bar 23 is substantially U- shaped, the parallel branches of whichhave elongated slots Q L-therein. The branches of the handle bar 23 are positioned alongside the inner face of the upper ends of the bars 6, so

that the opposite ends of the cross bar 8 extend thru the slots 24.

:pective slot 24. A wing nut 27 is threadedly manner heretofore described.

ecured upon each stud 26 for fastening the handle bar 23 in position. The slot 24 is slidable on the studs 26 and on the cross bar 8, the inner nuts 9 being positioned on the cross bar 8 inside of the respective branches of the handle bar 23. The length of the handle bar 23 above the bars 6 is thus adjustable by loosening the wing nuts 27 and by sliding the handle bar to the desired position.

In order to prevent the accidental collapsing of the frame, brace members 28 are provided, an end of each brace member being pivotally secured upon the cross bar 8 between the respective nuts 9, the other end thereof being notched as at 29 for engagement with the cross bar 11 when the frame is unfolded.

A bag 30, made of suitable material such as cloth, canvas, or the like, is attached to the frame in the following manner: The upper and lower-front and rear edges of the bag 30 are folded over, and sewed as at 31, forming loops into which the cross bars 8,11, and 17 are inserted. Then the frame members are attached to the ends of the cross bars in the The upper edges at the opening of the bag are, of course, supported on the cross bars 8 and 11. After the carrier is opened, as in Figure 1, then the bars 17 are manually forced down in the slot 16, thereby extending and opening the bag 30 to its full length. A pocket 32 is formed on the inside face of the bag front for receiving smaller articles.

\Vh-en the carrier is folded, as in Figure 3,

the movement of the cross bars 8, relatively to the pivot of the bars 6 and 7, pulls the lower edges of the bag 30 upwardly, thereby causing the sliding ofthe cross bars 17 in the slots 16 toward the upper end of said slots, at the same time folding the sides and the bottom of the bag 30. In the folded position, the carrier is moved on the wheels 21 after slightly tilting the frame rearwardly, so that the lower extremities of the bars 6 clear the ground. l/Vhile shonning, the carrier is unfolded and is held in that position by the turning of the brace members 28 into engagement with the cross bar 11. Now any package may be readily placed into the bag 30. By tilting the frame rearwardly, the bars 7 clear the ground and the carrier is moved on the wheels 21.

It will be recognized that by the use of the type of package carrier heretofore described, a number of large packages can be readily transported without the necessity of lifting the load or without the inconvenience of carrying the same in the hand or on the arms. The package carrier is easily folded and unfolded, and it does not require any adjustment or skill in handling the same.

We claim:

1. In a package carrier, a foldable receptacle, a frame comprising foldable side members, upper cross members secured in said side members for supporting the receptacle; lower cross members slidably secured in said side members for supporting the lower edges of the receptacle; and wheels rotatably giounted on the lower ends of the side memers.

2. In a package carrier, a foldable recep-' tacle, a frame comprising diagonally positioned members pivoted to each other at an intermediate point thereof, a set of said members forming the opposite foldable sides of the frame; cross members secured to the opposite sides for supporting said receptacle and securing the top and bottom edges of the receptacle to the frame; and a wheel rotatably mounted at the lower end of a corresponding diagonal member on each side.

3. In a package carrier, a foldable receptacle, a frame comprising diagonally positioned members pivoted to each other at an intermediate point thereof, one set of said members forming each side of the frame; means on the receptacle for securing the upper end thereof to the side members; means on the receptacle for securing the bottom edges thereof to said side members, said last means being slidable in the planes of said side members; and wheels rotatably mounted on the lower ends of corresponding parts of the opposite side members.

4. In a package carrier, a foldable receptacle, a frame comprising diagonally positioned members pivoted to each other at an intermediate point thereof, each side of the frame being formed by a set of said side members, cross members for supporting the receptacle, said cross members being secured in the upper ends of the opposite side members, and being adapted to space the u per ends from each other; lower cross mem ers secured to the receptacle and being slidably supported in the side members; the portion of one of the diagonally disposed members below the pivotal point thereof being longer than the corresponding portion of the other member; a wheel rotatably mounted upon the lower end of each shorter member; and a handle bar secured to the upper ends of the longer members.

5. In a package carrier, a frame comprising sets of side members pivoted in crossed relation, a flexible receptacle disposed between said side members, means for securing the upper sides of said receptacle to said side members, and means for slidably securing the lower sides of said receptacle to said side members.

6. In a package carrier, a frame comprising sets of side members pivoted in crossed relation, transverse members connecting the upper. and lower ends of each set of side members for supporting the same in spaced relation, said lower transverse members being slidably secured to each set of side members; a handle member secured to the upper ends of corresponding side members of each set and capable of longitudinal adjustment with respect to said side members, and a flexible receptacle secured at its ends to' said .upper and lower transverse members.

7. In a package carrier, a frame comprising sets of side members pivoted 1n crossed relation, transverse rods connectlng the upper and lower ends of corresponding memper and lower ends of corresponding members of each set of crossed members, said lower transverse members being slidabl secured in slots formed at the lower en s of each of said crossed members, and a flexible receptacle secured at its ends to said upper and lower transverse members, and means for holding the said side members in open position.

i In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

OLIVE COOPER. DAVID H. ROUN 

